Platform insert for bowl, bowl with platform, and methods of using the same

ABSTRACT

A filament platform insert for insertion into a bowl includes a plurality protruding stages and a plurality of recesses that are each formed in arcuate shapes to form a plurality of arcuate filament channels. An access channel extending along the platform insert, between a top and bottom, and between a rear and front, provides access for insertion of a finger or tool for manipulating an endovascular filament stored in the filament channel. The platform insert is dimensioned such that alignment of multiple such platforms will form filament raceways within a bowl for the coiled reception and storage of multiple endovascular filaments, with each filament reliably isolated from one another. In an alternative configuration, an endovascular filament bowl may be made to have the filament platform as a monolithic component thereof.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a filament platform insert for use withendovascular filaments, such as guide wires and catheters, a bowl withsuch a filament platform inserted therein or formed monolithicallytherewith, and methods of using the same for storing and extractingendovascular filaments during surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many surgical endovascular procedures are performed with the use offlexible endovascular filaments, such as guide wires and catheters, thatserve to introduce and/or remove fluids relative to the patient's body,and/or facilitate insertion and manipulation of other surgicalequipment.

When preparing a surgical workspace in advance of a surgical operationendovascular filaments are normally placed in a container filled with asterile liquid solution. This is done both to maintain sterilization ofthe filaments and to wet the filaments to facilitate their insertioninto the patient's body with minimized irritation to surrounding bodytissues. Traditional practice is to use a bowl type container forholding the filaments in a sterile liquid solution, with the filamentscoiled around a base of the bowl such that filaments may be readily fedfrom the bowl as they are inserted into the patient. However, manyendovascular filaments are constructed with a stiffness that resistsbending and curving, which results in a tendency for the filaments touncoil in the bowl and press against an inner wall of the bowl with suchforce as to rise along the wall and spill out of the bowl.

Conventional attempts to overcome this problem of filament rise includedthe development of specially shaped bowls having barriers placed alongthe inner surface of the bowl wall so as to act as stops to anyfilaments that rise along the wall. FIGS. 1-2 show one example of such aconventional endovascular filament bowl 10 (e.g., a guide wire bowl).The conventional bowl 10 includes a vertical wall 11 and a number ofbarriers 13 that extend radially inward from an inner surface 12 of thewall 11. The barriers 13 each include lower surfaces 14 that act asstops to any filaments that may rise along the vertical wall 11 so as toprevent filaments from rising so far as to spill over an upper rim 15 ofthe bowl 10. The barriers 13 extend from an elevated surface 17 of abase of the bowl 10, with each elevated surface 17 separated by a cavitysurface 16. Further specifics as to the conventional bowl 10 of FIGS.1-2 are provided in WO 98/56687 (Cude, et al.) and US D433,130 (Cude, etal.), the entire content and disclosure of both of which are herebyincorporated herein by reference.

Though conventional bowls such as that in FIGS. 1-2 have provensuccessful in facilitating the storage of endovascular filaments, thereremains further problems in practices using such conventional bowls. Forexample, when performing a surgical operation requiring multipleendovascular filaments, storage of the multiple filaments in a singlebowl can easily result in the filaments becoming entangled with oneanother. Untangling the filaments results in lost time that prolongs thesurgical operation. Worse yet, there is a risk that entanglement offilaments may result in a spilling of one or more filaments from thebowl, which may potentially contaminate the filaments and/or othernearby equipment in the surgical environment.

Accordingly, there remains a need in the art for means of securelyretaining multiple endovascular filaments in a sterile solution within asingle container, and for facilitating removal of individual filamentstherefrom, while lessening the potential for interference betweenseparate filaments and the potential for mishandling of the filaments asa result thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A filament platform insert is provided for insertion into a bowl. Theplatform insert comprises a front end, a rear end, a bottom, a top, afirst lateral side, a second lateral side. A plurality of protrudingstages and a plurality of protruding recesses are provided on theplatform insert, with the stages and recesses alternating in arecess-stage-recess sequence. Stages in the plurality of recesses aredefined, at least in part, by a first curved upper surface that slopesvertical upward and radially outward of an edge of the stage, a secondstraight lower surface that extends radially outwardly horizontally froman edge of the stage, and a third straight intermediate surface thatjoins the first and second surfaces. Recesses in the plurality ofrecesses are defined, at least in part, by a first straight uppersurface that extends radially inward from an outermost perimeter of therecess, and second curved lower surface that slopes vertically downwardand radially inward from the outermost perimeter of the recess. With therecess-stage-recess sequence, a forward most edge of a stage willprotrude to a position further radially inward than the outermostperimeter of the preceding recess. The stages and recesses extendbetween the first and second lateral sides in arcuate shapes centeredaround a reference axis to form a number of filament channels thatlikewise extend around between the first and second lateral sides in anarcuate shape centered around the same reference axis.

In a preferred arrangement, the platform is constructed with a staircaseconfiguration in which the stages are positioned sequentially one afteranother between the front end and the rear end of the platform, andbetween a bottom and top of the platform, with each successive stagepositioned vertically above and radially outward of a preceding stage inboth a radially horizontal direction relative to the reference axis anda vertical direction relative to the bottom of the platform; and therecesses are likewise positioned sequentially one after another betweenthe front end and the rear end of the platform, and between a bottom andtop of the platform, with each successive recess positioned verticallyabove and radially outward of a preceding recess in both a radiallyhorizontal direction relative to the reference axis and a verticaldirection relative to the bottom of the platform. In this arrangement,the filament channels of the platform, and filament raceways formed bymultiple aligned platforms, are arranged in a stepped configuration,with successive channels and raceways positioned further verticallyabove and radially outward relative to a preceding channel or racewayrespectively. With such an arrangement, insertion of multiple platformsinto a bowl results in filament raceways that are each at a differentradial distance from the reference axis, and each at a differentvertical height from the bottom of the bowl.

In an alternative arrangement, the platform may be constructed with ahorizontal configuration in which the stages are positioned sequentiallyone after another between the front end and the rear end of theplatform, at a common vertical height, with each successive stagepositioned radially outward of a preceding stage in a radiallyhorizontal direction relative to the reference axis; and the recessesare likewise positioned sequentially one after another between the frontend and the rear end of the platform, at a common vertical height, witheach successive recess positioned radially outward of a preceding recessin a radially horizontal direction relative to the reference axis. Inthis arrangement, the filament channels of the platform, and filamentraceways formed by multiple aligned platforms, are each formed at acommon vertical height, with successive channels and raceways positionedfurther radially outward relative to a preceding channel or racewayrespectively.

With such an arrangement, insertion of multiple platforms into a bowlresults in the filament raceways all being aligned along the base of thebowl, with each raceway having a common height as each other raceway,though each raceway being positioned at a different radial distance fromthe reference axis.

In another alternative arrangement, the platform may be constructed witha vertical configuration in which the stages are positioned sequentiallyone after another between the bottom and top of the platform, at acommon radial distance from the reference axis, with each successivestage positioned vertically above a preceding stage in a verticaldirection relative to the bottom of the platform; and the recesses arelikewise positioned sequentially one after another between the bottomand top of the platform, at a common radial distance from the referenceaxis, with each successive recess positioned vertically above apreceding recess in a vertical direction relative to the bottom of theplatform. In this arrangement, the filament channels of the platform,and filament raceways formed by multiple aligned platforms, are eachformed at a common radial distance from the reference axis, withsuccessive channels and raceways positioned further vertically upwardrelative to a preceding channel or raceway respectively. With such anarrangement, insertion of multiple platforms into a bowl results in thefilament raceways all being aligned along the wall of the bowl, witheach raceway having a common radial distance from the reference axis,though each raceway being positioned at a different vertical height fromthe bottom of the bowl.

The arcuate shapes of the stages, recesses, and the filament channelsformed thereby in platform are non-continuous in that there is providedat least one break in the arcuate shape in the form of an accesschannel. The access channel extends diagonally along the platform, bothin a horizontal sense between the rear end and forward end of theplatform and in a vertical sense between the top and the bottom of theplatform, the channel being defined at least in part by an opening ineach stage in the plurality of stages, the channel openings beingpositioned between laterally adjacent sections of the arcuate stages,recesses and filament channels.

In use, prior to an operation, a number of filament platforms areinserted at predetermined positions in an endovascular filament bowl soas to align the platforms with one another such that the filamentchannels of the separate platforms align to form a number of filamentraceways. A number of endovascular filaments are then inserted into thefilament raceways, preferably with each raceway receiving a singleendovascular filament coiled therein. Once the desired number ofendovascular filaments are inserted, a sterile solution is introducedinto the bowl in sufficient volume to submerse the filaments.Thereafter, during an operation, individual filaments may be extractedfrom the bowl by grasping the several coils of an individual filamentthat extend along a single filament raceway, gently applying a radiallyinwardly directed force to remove the filament from the raceway, andthen lifting the grasped filament out of the bowl. Alternatively, ifpreferring to use the bowl to feed a filament during insertion, afilament may be extracted from the bowl by gripping a coil of anindividual filament that is stored in a filament raceway, uncoiling alength of the filament from the raceway, and feeding the filament fromthe bowl with the filament sliding through the raceway.

In another aspect, the invention is also inclusive of a endovascularfilament bowl having the filament platform formed monolithically thereinas an integrated component of the bowl.

Both the foregoing general description and the following detaileddescription are exemplary and explanatory only and are intended toprovide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Theaccompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding ofthe invention; are incorporated in and constitute part of thisspecification; illustrate embodiments of the invention; and, togetherwith the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the invention can be ascertained fromthe following detailed description that is provided in connection withthe drawings described below:

FIG. 1 shows one example of a conventional endovascular filament bowl;and

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of the conventional endovascular filamentbowl of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows one example of a filament platform according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional elevation view of the filament platformof FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows the filament platform of FIG. 1 loaded with a number ofendovascular filaments;

FIG. 6 shows multiple filament platforms according to FIG. 1 aligned toform filament raceways loaded with a number of endovascular filaments;

FIG. 7 shows multiple filament platforms according to FIG. 1 aligned toform filament raceways loaded with a number of endovascular filaments,with the filament platforms inserted in an endovascular filament bowl;

FIG. 8 shows a endovascular filament bowl with the filament platform ofFIG. 1 formed monolithically therein; and

FIG. 9 shows the monolithically formed endovascular filament bowl ofFIG. 8 loaded with endovascular filaments.

The following disclosure discusses the present invention with referenceto the examples shown in the foregoing drawings, though does not limitthe invention to those examples.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is inclusive of a filament platform insert for abowl, an endovascular filament bowl formed with a monolithic filamentplatform therein, and methods of storing and withdrawn endovascularfilaments from a bowl. In the context of this disclosure, endovascularfilaments include, though are not limited to, catheters,micro-catheters, guidewires, micro-guidewires, intravenous lines, andsimilar endovascular equipment.

FIGS. 3-5 show one example of a platform insert 30 for an endovascularfilament bowl having a plurality of stages 40 a-40 d and recesses 50a-50 d. The platform 30 has a front end 31, a rear end 32, a bottom 33,a top 34, a first lateral side 35, and a second lateral side 36. Thefirst and second lateral sides 35/36 extend between the rear end 32 andthe front end 31, and taper towards one another. In the illustratedexample, the first and second lateral sides 35/36 taper towards oneanother, but do not meet, and instead terminate at two respective pointsof the front end 31. Both the rear end 32 and the front end 31 extendfrom the first lateral side 35 to the second lateral side 36 in anarcuate shape that is circumferentially centered around a verticalreference axis AX positioned forward of the front end 31. In theillustrated example, the arcuate shapes of the rear and front ends 31/32have a constant radius of curvature along their length, as measuredrelative to the reference axis AX. In other examples, the first andsecond lateral sides 35/36 may taper toward one another and meet at acommon point, with the front end 31 of the platform 30 being representedby the common point where the two sides meet, and with the verticalreference axis AX passing through that same common point.

In the example shown in FIGS. 3-5, the platform 30 is formed in astaircase shape, with each stage 40 a-40 d formed as a separate step,and with a corresponding recess 50 a-50 d below each stage. Each stage40 a-40 d and recess 50 a-50 d extends from the first lateral side 35 tothe second lateral side 36 in an arcuate shape that is circumferentiallycentered around the same vertical reference axis AX as the arcuate shapeof the rear and front ends 32/31. In this manner, the several stages 40a-40 d are each positioned one behind another in a radial horizontaldirection, and one above another in a vertical direction. Likewise, theseveral recesses 50 a-50 d are also each positioned one behind anotherin a radial horizontal direction, and one above another in a verticaldirection. The arcuate configurations of the stages and recesses,together, form a number of arcuate filament channels 60 a-60 d for thereception and storage of coiled endovascular filaments Wa-Wd. In theillustrated example, the arcuate configurations of the stages 40 a-40 d,recesses 50 a-50 d and filament channels 60 a-60 d have a constantradius of curvature, as measured relative to the reference axis AX,though each is formed in non-continuous manner due to the presence of anaccess channel 70.

As shown in FIG. 4, each stage 40 b-40 d is defined, at least in part,by a first curved upper surface 41 b-41 d that slopes upward andradially outward from an edge of the respective stage, a second straightlower surface 42 b-42 d that extends radially outward from an edge ofthe respective stage, and a third straight slanted forward surface 43b-43 d that extends diagonally to join edges of the respective upper andlower surfaces 41/42. The top-most stage 40 a likewise includes astraight lower surface 42 a and a straight slanted forward surface 43 a,though has a straight upper surface 41 a. In other examples, thetop-most stage 40 a may have a curved upper surface just as each otherstage. Each stage 40 a-40 d extends radially inward from the rear end32, with each stage 40 a-40 d having a radially-inward most edge 44 at adifferent respective radial distance RDs from the reference axis AX.Thus, in the illustrated example with four stages 40 a-40 d, theradially-inward most edge 44 a of the first stage 40 a is at a firstradial distance RDsa from the reference axis AX; the radially-inwardmost edge 44b of the second stage 40 b is at a second radial distanceRDsb from the reference axis AX; the radially-inward most edge 44 c ofthe third stage 40 c is at a third radial distance RDsc from thereference axis AX; and the radially-inward most edge 44 d of the fourthstage 40 d is at a fourth radial distance RDsd from the reference axisAX; with each of the radial distances RDsa-RDsd differing from oneanother. Though not required, there may be a constant difference in theradial distances of each successive stage.

As shown in FIG. 4, each recess 50 a-50 d is defined, at least in part,by a first curved lower surface 51 that slopes downward and radiallyinward from an outward most perimeter 53 of the recess, and a secondstraight upper surface 52 that extends radially inward from the outwardmost perimeter 53 of the recess. With the exception of the bottom-mostrecess 50 d, each recess is positioned between two successive stages,with the curved lower surface of a given recess (e.g., 51 b/50 b)corresponding with the curved upper surface of a first adjacent stage(e.g., 41 c/40 c), and the straight upper surface of that same givenrecess (e.g., 52 b/50 b) corresponding with the straight lower surfaceof a second adjacent stage (e.g., 42 b/40 b). The bottom-most recess 50d differs in this regard in that there is no lower stage, and the curvedlower surface 51 d of the bottom-most recess 50 d instead extends froman upper surface 37 of the platform bottom 33. Each recess 50 a-50 dextends radially outward from the reference axis AX and toward the rearend 32 of the platform 30, with each recess 50 a-50 d extending adifferent respective radially distance RDr such that a radially-outwardmost perimeter 53 a-53 d of each respective recess 50 a-50 d is at adifferent respective radial distance RDr from the reference axis AX.Thus, in the illustrated example with four recesses 50 a-50 d, theradially-outward most perimeter 53 a of the first recess 50 a is at afirst radial distance RDra from the reference axis AX; theradially-outward most perimeter 53 b of the second recess 50 b is at asecond radial distance RDrb from the reference axis AX; theradially-outward most perimeter 53 c of the third recess 50 c is at athird radial distance RDrc from the reference axis AX; and theradially-outward most perimeter 53 d of the fourth recess 50 d is at afourth radial distance RDrd from the reference axis AX; with each of theradial distances RDra-RDrd differing from one another. Though notrequired, there may be a constant difference in the radial distances ofeach successive recess. It is noted that in the example shown in FIG. 4the rear end 32 is formed of a first wall 32 a at a first angle αa and asecond wall 32 b at a second angle αb. In the illustrated example, thefirst and second walls 32 a and 32 b, as well as the first and secondangles αa and αb, are set to correspond with the inner wall surfaces ofthe endovascular filament bowl 10 shown in FIGS. 1-2. In other examples,the rear end walls 32 a and 32 b may be set at any other angles foraligning with a bowl having differently angled inner walls, and may alsobe provided in other configurations so as to correspond with bowlshaving differently shaped inner walls. For example, the first rear wall32 a may be constructed with a curved surface having a radius ofcurvature to correspond with a bowl having an inner wall with acorresponding curvature at its base. In another example, the rear wall32 may be constructed with only a single wall that extends directlyvertically from a 90° angle formed with the bottom 33 of the platform,so as to correspond with a bowl having a similar 90° angle between aninner wall and an inner base.

As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, the arcuate shapes of the stages 40 a-40 d,recesses 50 a-50 d, and filament channels 60 a-60 d are non-continuousin that there is provided a break in the arcuate shapes in the form ofan access channel 70 that passes through each stage and recess. Theaccess channel 70 extends from a top opening 71 in the upper surface 41a of the top-most stage 40 a through a bottom opening 72 in the lowersurface 42 d of the bottom-most stage 40 d, and down to the lower curvedsurface 51 d of the bottom-most recess 50 d. In the illustrated example,as the platform 30 is formed with the staircase configuration, theaccess channel 70 is made to extend in an angled fashion, so as toextend downward and forward from the top opening 71 through the loweropening 72. As shown in FIG. 4, a radially outward most perimeter 73 ofthe access channel 70 is positioned further radially outward than theradially outward most perimeters 503 a-53d of each corresponding recess50 a-50 d, such that there is provided a clearance space between theaccess channel 70 and a resting position of a filament Wa-Wd in eachrespective filament channel 60 a-60 d.

As shown in FIG. 6, the arcuate shapes of the stages 40 a-40 d, therecesses 50-50 d and the filament channels 60-60 d in a platform 30 isadapted such that when a number of the platforms 30 are aligned atpredetermined positions relative to one another the guide channels 60a-60 d of the aligned platforms 30 form a series of filament raceways 80a-80 d that each defined a circumferential path for reception of acoiled filament Wa-Wd, with each raceway 80 a-80 d separated fromanother by a stage. In the illustrated example, as the platforms 30 areeach formed with the staircase configuration, the successive raceways 80a-80 b are each positioned one behind another in a radial horizontaldirection, and one above another in a vertical direction.

As shown in FIG. 7, the bottom 33 of the platform 30 in this example isshaped and dimensioned for insertion into a cavity 16 of the bowl 10,and the arcuate shape of the rear end 32 is adapted to align with theinner surface 12 of the side wall 11 thereof, such that four platforms30 may be inserted into a single bowl 10 so as to form four circularfilament raceways 80-80 d for reception and storage of four differentfilament Wa-Wd. The platform 30 is constructed with such a height that afilament Fa held in the top-most filament raceway 80 a will remain belowthe lower surfaces 14 of the barriers 13.

In use, prior to a surgical procedure, a number of platforms 30 areinserted into a bowl 10 at positions relative to one another to form anumber of filament raceways 80 a-80 d within the bowl 10. Endovascularfilaments Wa-Wd are then inserted into and coiled around the separatefilament raceways 80-80 d, preferably with each raceway receiving asingle filament. After all filaments Wa-Wd have been coiled into theraceways 80 a-80 d, a sterile liquid solution is then introduced to thebowl 10 in sufficient volume to submerse the filaments Wa-Wd.

Subsequently, during the surgical procedure, a user may extract afilament from a filament raceway by inserting and sliding a finger (or atool) into and through the access channel 70 in a platform 30. Thespacing provided between the outward most perimeter 73 of the accesschannel 70 and the outward most perimeters 53 a-53d of the correspondingrecesses 50 a-50 d provides ample clearance for the user's finger (ortool) to slide behind the filaments Wa-Wd held in the respectiveraceways 80 a-80 d to facilitate easy manipulation of each coiledfilament. Once a filament is gripped through the access channel 70, theuser may either extract that filament in its entirety, or may uncoil asingle loop of that filament and proceed to feed the filament from thebowl 10 for insertion into a patient's body. Advantageously, thecircular configuration of the raceways 80 a-80 d, combined with theseparation provided between each by the plurality of stages 40 a-40 d,facilitates circular revolutions of filament in the raceways thatfurther promotes feeding of individual filaments without interferencebetween separate filament.

It will be readily appreciated that the construction of the platforminsert 30, and the raceways 80 a-80 d that are formed from the alignmentof multiple such platforms 30, provides an improved structure for thestorage and extraction of endovascular filaments, whereby multipleindividual endovascular filaments may be securely retained independentof one another in a single bowl 10, without risk of entanglement, whileat the same time promoting simplified extraction of individual filamentsin a manner to facilitate feeding of filaments during a surgicalprocedure.

Although the present invention is described with reference to particularembodiments, it will be understood to those skilled in the art that theforegoing disclosure addresses exemplary embodiments only; that thescope of the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments; andthat the scope of the invention may encompass additional embodimentsembracing various changes and modifications relative to the examplesdisclosed herein without departing from the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims and equivalents thereto.

For example, though the foregoing discussion and the accompanyingdrawings illustrate an example wherein four filament platforms areinserted into a bowl 10, it will be understood that the invention may bepracticed with fewer than four platforms inserted into the bowl 10, suchas methods where three, two or even a single platform are inserted. Theinvention may also be practiced with bowls of different shapes anddimensions than the endovascular filament bowl 10, with the individualplatforms being formed with corresponding shapes and dimensions for thatalternative bowl (e.g., differently shaped rear ends, which may have adifferent curvature or no curvature at all in the instance of a squareor rectangular bowl). The platforms may also be used in bowls that lackany other endovascular filament structures therein (e.g., omittingstructures such as the elevated surfaces 17 and barriers 13 ofendovascular filament bowl 10), in which instances the filamentplatforms may be constructed to occupy a greater volume of the bowl(e.g., individual platforms may be formed as half-circle insets with twoinserts filling the bowl, or even as a full circle insert with a singleinsert filling the bowl). Similarly, though the foregoing examplesillustrate the filament raceways being formed in a circular shape, theraceways may be formed in other shapes, including an oval shape.

Also, though the foregoing discussion addresses examples wherein thefilament platform is made as a separate insert for insertion into abowl, the invention is also inclusive of an endovascular filament bowlhaving the platforms formed monolithically therein as integratedcomponents of the bowl, with such a monolithically constructed bowloptionally including or omitting the barriers 13 that are provided inendovascular filament bowl 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 8-9.

In addition, though the foregoing examples illustrate the platforms ashaving four stages and recesses, forming four raceways, the platformsmay have any number of stages and recesses for forming any number ofrecesses, including a single stage and recess for forming a singleraceway.

Furthermore, through the foregoing examples illustrate the platformbeing constructed with a staircase configuration, the platform mayinstead be constructed with other configurations. For example, theplatform may be constructed with a horizontal configuration in whichsuccessive stages, recesses, and filament channels are each positionedone behind another in a radial horizontal direction, though each at thesame height as one another, such that insertion of a plurality ofplatforms into a bowl will form filament raceways that are all alignedhorizontally along the base of the bowl, with each raceway having acommon height, though positioned at a different radial distance from thereference axis. In another example, the platform may be constructed in avertical configuration in which successive stages, recesses, andfilament channels are each positioned one above another in a verticaldirection, though each at the same radial distance from the referenceaxis as one another, such that insertion of a plurality of platformsinto a bowl will form filament raceways that are all aligned verticallyalong the wall of the bowl, with each raceway having a common radialdistance from the reference axis, though positioned at a differentvertical heights from the bottom of the bowl.

To the extent necessary to understand or complete the disclosure of thepresent invention, all publications, patents, and patent applicationsmentioned herein are expressly incorporated by reference herein to thesame extent as though each were individually so incorporated.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure.As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups thereof.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, those of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that anyarrangement which is calculated to achieve the same purpose may besubstituted for the specific embodiments shown and that the embodimentsherein have other applications in other environments. This applicationis intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the presentdisclosure.

The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodimentsillustrated herein, but is instead characterized by the appended claims,which do not themselves in any way limit the scope of the foregoingdisclosure.

1-17. (canceled)
 18. A filament bowl comprising a filament platform, thefilament platform comprising: a platform body having an arcuate shapewith a front end, a rear end, a bottom, a top, a first lateral side, anda second lateral side, the first and second lateral sides extendingvertically between the bottom and top, the front end extending laterallybetween the first and second lateral sides at a radially-inwardperimeter between the bottom and top, and the rear end extendinglaterally between the first and second lateral sides at aradially-outward perimeter between the bottom and top; the platform bodycomprising a plurality of stages that protrude in a radially-inwarddirection, with at least one stage in the plurality of stages beingdefined at least in part by a first upper surface and a second lowersurface, and a plurality of recesses that are open at a radially-inwardside of the platform and extend into the platform body in aradially-outward direction, with at least one recess in the plurality ofrecesses being defined at least in part by a first curvedradially-outward surface and a second upper surface, the plurality ofstages and recesses forming a plurality of filament channels in theplatform body, wherein the plurality of stages and the plurality ofrecesses are arranged in a recess-stage-recess sequence, with at leastone sequence in which the second upper surface of a recess correspondswith the second lower surface of an adjacent platform and the firstcurved radially-outward surface of the recess has a radially-outwardmost point at an upper end of the curved surface, and stages in theplurality of stages and recesses in the plurality of recesses extendlaterally between the first lateral side and the second lateral sidesuch that the arcuate shape of the platform body is circumferentiallycentered around a reference axis that extends in a top-to-bottomdirection, perpendicular to the lateral extension of the stages andrecesses, with the reference axis passing through a point at or forwardof the front end of the platform body.
 19. The filament bowl accordingto claim 18, wherein the filament platform is a monolithic component ofthe filament bowl.
 20. The filament bowl according to claim 18, whereinthe stages in the plurality of stages are positioned sequentially oneafter another between the front end and the rear end of the platformbody, with successive stages positioned radially outward of a precedingstage in a radially horizontal direction relative to the reference axis,and the recesses in the plurality of recesses are positionedsequentially one after another between the front end and the rear end ofthe platform body, with successive recesses positioned radially outwardof a preceding recess in a radially horizontal direction relative to thereference axis.
 21. The filament bowl according to claim 20, wherein inthe recess-stage-recess sequence of the plurality of stages and theplurality of recesses, a forward most edge of a stage that is positionedradially outward of a preceding recess extends to a position that isfurther radially inward than a position of a radially outward mostperimeter of the preceding recess.
 22. The filament bowl according toclaim 20, wherein the arcuate shapes of the stages and recesses, and thefilament channels formed thereby, extend non-continuously between thefirst lateral side and the second lateral side.
 23. The filament bowlaccording to claim 22, further comprising a channel extending at leastin part horizontally between the rear end and the front end of theplatform body in the radially horizontal direction, the channel beingdefined at least in part by openings in stages in the plurality ofstages, the channel openings being positioned between laterally adjacentsections of filament channels.
 24. The filament bowl according to claim18, wherein the stages in the plurality of stages are positionedsequentially one after another between the bottom and the top of theplatform body, with successive stages positioned above a preceding stagein a vertical direction relative to the bottom of the platform, and therecesses in the plurality of recesses are positioned sequentially oneafter another between the bottom and the top of the platform body, withsuccessive recesses positioned above a preceding recess in a verticaldirection relative to the bottom of the platform.
 25. The filament bowlaccording to claim 24, wherein in the recess-stage-recess sequence ofthe plurality of stages and the plurality of recesses, a forward mostedge of a stage that is positioned vertically above a preceding recessextends to a position that is further radially inward than a position ofa radially outward most perimeter of the preceding recess.
 26. Thefilament bowl according to claim 24, wherein the arcuate shapes of thestages and recesses, and the filament channels formed thereby, extendnon-continuously between the first lateral side and the second lateralside.
 27. The filament bowl according to claim 26, further comprising achannel extending at least in part vertically between the top of theplatform body and the bottom of the platform body in the verticaldirection, the channel being defined at least in part by openings instages in the plurality of stages, the channel openings being positionedbetween laterally adjacent sections of filament channels.
 28. Thefilament bowl according to claim 18, wherein the platform body is formedwith a staircase configuration such that the stages in the plurality ofstages are positioned sequentially one after another between the bottomand the top of the platform body and between the front end and the rearend of the platform body, which successive stages positioned verticallyabove a preceding stage in a vertical direction relative to the bottomof the platform body and radially outward of the preceding stage in ahorizontal direction relative to the reference axis, and the recesses inthe plurality of recesses are positioned sequentially one after anotherbetween the bottom and the top of the platform body and between thefront end and the rear end of the platform body, which successiverecesses positioned vertically above a preceding recess in a verticaldirection relative to the bottom of the platform body and radiallyoutward of the preceding recess in the horizontal direction relative tothe reference axis.
 29. The filament bowl according to claim 28, whereinin the recess-stage-recess sequence of the plurality of stages and theplurality of recesses, a forward most edge of a stage that is positionedvertically above and radially outward of a preceding recess extends to aposition that is further radially inward than a position of a radiallyoutward most perimeter of the preceding recess.
 30. The filament bowlaccording to claim 28, wherein the arcuate shapes of the stages andrecesses, and the filament channels formed thereby, extendnon-continuously between the first lateral side and the second lateralside.
 31. The filament bowl according to claim 30, further comprising achannel extending diagonally along the platform body, so as to extend inpart vertically between the top of the platform and the bottom of theplatform body and in part horizontally between the rear end and thefront end of the platform body, the channel being defined at least inpart by openings in stages in the plurality of stages, the channelopenings being positioned between laterally adjacent sections offilament channels.
 32. The filament bowl according to claim 18, whereinrecesses in the plurality of recesses are configured such that filamentsretained in the recesses remain exposed for removal from the recesses bytranslating the filament in a radially inward direction, toward thereference axis, and out the recessing openings at the radially-inwardside of the platform.
 33. A method of using endovascular filaments in asurgical procedure, comprising inserting at least one endovascularfilament into a filament raceway that is formed from alignment offilament channels of two or more filament platforms in a filament bowlaccording to claim 1, with the endovascular filament extending along thefilament raceway so as to be held in a coiled arrangement within thefilament bowl; introducing a sterile solution into the filament bowl insufficient volume to submerse the at least one endovascular filament.34. The method of claim 33, further comprising extracting anendovascular filament from the filament bowl by gripping theendovascular filament coiled in a filament raceway, uncoiling a lengthof the endovascular filament from the filament raceway, and feeding thegripped endovascular filament from the filament bowl with theendovascular filament sliding through the filament raceway.
 35. Themethod of claim 34, wherein at least one filament platform in thefilament bowl further comprises an access channel that extendshorizontally between the rear end and the front end of the platformbody, vertically between the top and the bottom of the platform body, orboth horizontally and vertically, the channel being defined at least inpart by access openings in individual stages in the plurality of stages,with the access openings being positioned between laterally adjacentsections of filament channels, and gripping an endovascular filament ina filament raceway for extraction from the filament bowl comprisesinserting a user's finger or a tool along the access channel so as toengage a length of the endovascular filament that is exposed at anaccess opening.
 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the at least oneendovascular filament inserted into a filament raceway is a catheter, amicro-catheter, a guidewire, a micro-guidewire, or an intravenous line.